Page 165 of 236

165 Starting and driving
Driving considerations
with compact spare
wheel/tire fitted The following should be observed when the
compact spare wheel (T115/70 R16) is
installed:
The compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing the wheel. Do not
drive farther than necessary with the com-
pact spare fitted – the maximum life of the
wheel is only just over 2000 miles
(3,500 km). Have the standard wheel
repaired and reinstalled as soon as possi-
ble.
The car’s ground clearance is reduced with
the compact spare fitted. Note that only one
compact spare wheel may be used at any
time. Take care not to hit the curb and do not
fit snow chains. Leave the wheel cover off,
so that the warning text is readily visible.
For long tripsBefore starting off on a long journey, it is
advisable to have your car inspected over
by your Saab dealer.
Obtain a few important items to take along
on your journey such as spare bulbs, wiper
blades, fuses, a Poly-Vee-belt and the like.
You can check some points yourself before-
hand:
Make sure that the engine is in good con-
dition.
Check that no oil or fuel leaks out of the
engine or gearbox/transmission.
Inspect the Poly-Vee-belt and replace it if
it shows any signs of wear.
Check the battery charge.
Check the tires for tread pattern and air
pressure, including the compact spare
wheel.
Take an extra car key/remote control and
keep it separate, see also page 30.
Check the brakes.
Check all bulbs.
Check for the presence of the tool kit and
the jack in the car.
WARNING
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) as the
tire can overheat and adversely affect the
handling of the car.
The tire should be inflated to 60 psi
(420 kPa).
NOTETo avoid damaging a punctured alloy
wheel this can be placed outside up in the
spare-wheel well but only while driving to
the closest workshop.
A general rule is that all heavy loads must
be well secured in the luggage compart-
ment, see page 129.
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Page 167 of 236

167 Car care
IB944
Hood release handle ....... 168
Engine .............................. 168
Engine bay ....................... 169
Engine oil ......................... 172
Transmission fluid .......... 173
Coolant ............................. 174
Brake- clutch fluid and
brake pads ..................... 176
Power steering ................ 177
Battery .............................. 177
Drive belt .......................... 179
Wipers and washers ....... 179
Wiper blades .................... 179
Changing bulbs ............... 181
Fuses ................................ 187
Wheels.............................. 192
Safety belts ...................... 199 Upholstery and trim ......... 200
Textile carpeting .............. 200
Engine bay ........................ 201
Washing ............................ 201
Waxing and polishing ...... 202
Touching up the paint ..... 202
Anti-corrosion treatment . 203
Recovery and/or recycling
of automotive materials. 205
Air conditioning (A/C
system) ........................... 207 Car care
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Page 169 of 236
169 Car care
1 Engine-oil dipstick
2 Brake-fluid reservoir
3 Power-steering fluid reservoir
4 Fuse box
5 Coolant reservoir
6 MAXI fuses
7 Washer-fluid reservoir
8Battery
9 Ignition discharge module
10 Drive belt
11 Air filter
Engine bay
IB1160
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Page 187 of 236

187 Car care
FusesThe fuses are housed in two fuse panels:
one at the end of the instrument panel on the
driver’s side, and one under the hood.
To check if a fuse has blown, first remove it
from the panel (see below). If the filament is
broken, the fuse has blown.
A special tool for removing fuses is provided
at the bottom of the fuse panel on the fascia.
Simply push the tool onto the fuse, squeeze
and remove the fuse.
WARNING
To avoid the risk of short-circuiting and/or
fire breaking out in the electrical system,
the following advice should be heeded:
Always consult an authorized Saab
dealer before modifying or adding any
electrical equipment. Failure to do so
can result in the electrical system being
damaged.
Never replace a fuse with one having a
higher/lower rating than specified
(see page 189). The color of the fuse
indicates its amperage.
If the same fuse blows repeatedly,
have the electrical system checked by
an authorized Saab dealer.
If a MAXI fuse blows, it means that
there is a major fault in the electrical
system. Have the car checked without
delay by an authorized Saab dealer.
When a fuse is to be replaced, it is
essential that the new one should have
the same rating as the one being
replaced (see the Table on page 189).
The color of the fuse indicates its
amperage.
301020303015
15151010101010
1030301020151515
101020202020201515
301515101515
IB916
IB917
Sound fuse/Blown fuse Tool for changing fuses
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Page 188 of 236

188 Car careMAXI fusesThe MAXI fuses are housed in the fuse box
under the hood. These fuses can be
checked in the same way as the other fuses.
The MAXI fuses are designed to protect the
car’s electrical system from being dam-
aged. Each MAXI fuse protects a number of
electrical circuits and functions and there-
fore has a higher rating (amperage) than the
standard fuses. No spare MAXI fuses are
supplied with the car.
DICE / TWICEDICE = Dashboard Integrated Central Elec-
tronics
TWICE = Theft-Warning Central Electronics
DICE and TWICE are electronic control
modules.
DICE controls, among other things:
Front lights and interior lighting.
Instrument illumination.
Intermittent wiper operation.
Electric heating of rear window and door
mirrors.
TWICE controls, among other things:
Central locking.
Car alarm (Anti-theft system).
Engine immobilizer.
Auto checking of lights.
Electric heating of rear seat.
Safety belt reminder.
Electrically adjustable passenger seat.The DICE and TWICE control modules are
linked to a data bus, which is basically an
information carrier that allows information to
be exchanged between all the control mod-
ules and components connected to the bus.
If a fault occurs in any of these components,
diagnostic faults codes are set in the rele-
vant control module, which enhances fault
diagnosis at the Saab dealer.
The scan tool connector for fault diagnosis
is located under the instrument panel on the
drivers side.
NOTEIf a MAXI fuse blows, it means that there
is a major fault in the electrical system.
Have the car checked without delay by an
authorized Saab dealer.
IB920
MAXI fuse for soft-top system
(Convertible)
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Page 189 of 236

189 Car care
FusesNo. Amp Function
A––
B 10 Stop lights, trailer
C 30 Cabin fan, ACC
1 30 Electrically heated rear window and rear-view mir-
rors
220Direction indicators
330Cabin fan, A/C
4 15 Trunk light; switch illumination; electrically powered
radio antenna
5 30 Electrically operated front seat, right
6 30 Cigarette lighter
6A 7.5 Automatic transmission
7 30 Rear window operators, rear-view mirrors, sunroof
8 15 Rear wiper
9 7.5 ACC panel
10 – –
11 7.5 DICE / TWICE
12 20 Stop lights; front fog lights
13 15 Diagnostics; radio
14 30 Front window motors
15 20 Daytime running lights
16 30 Electrically operated front seat, left
16B 30 Control module, engine management system
17 15 DICE/TWICE; instruments; memory for
electrically operated driver’s seat
18 10 Airbag
19 10 ABS; A/C; rear fog light
20 20 Electric heating, front seats
30 10 20
30 30 15
15 15
10 10 10
10
10
10 30
30 10 20
15
15
15
10 10
20
10 20 20
20 20 15
15
30 15
15 10 15
15
IB918
1 C B A23456
7 6A 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 16B 18 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30 3132 33 34 35 3637 38 39
Fuse holder on the end of the instrument panel
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Page 191 of 236
191 Car care
Fuses and relays Fuse panel in engine bay
No. Amp Function
110Horn
2 15 Front fog lights
3 40 Radiator fan, low speed
4 10 Vacuum pump
5 15 A/C-compressor
610Left low beam
7 10 Right low beam
8 10 Left high beam
9 10 Right high beam
10 7.5 Headlight wipers
11 – –
12 – Extra lights
13 7.5 APC
14 10 Extra heater; water pump (Europe)
15 15 Extra heater (Europe)
MAXI 1 30 Radiator fan, high speed
MAXI 2 50 ABS
Item Amp Function
A Low beam
B High beam
C1 Extra heater (Europe)
C2 Vacuum pump (Turbo aut.)
D Radiator fan, low speed
E Lamp check (filament monitor, front)
F1 – –
F2 – –
G1 Horn
G2 Front fog lights
H–
I Radiator fan, high speed
J A/C-compressor
IB919
Fuses and relays in engine bay (left side)
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Page 207 of 236

207 Car care
Air conditioning
(A/C system)
Fault diagnosis If a fault occurs in the A/C system, there are
a number of checks you can perform your-
self. If the fault persists, however, have the
system checked by an authorized Saab
dealer.Important!
When the A/C system is in operation, mois-
ture from the air will condense on the evap-
orator. When the car is then parked, this
condensation will drip off the evaporator
and form a small pool of water on the
ground. This is normal. The warmer the
ambient air and the higher the humidity, the
greater the amount of condensation formed.Inadequate cooling:
a Make sure that the temperature and
air-distribution controls are in the
appropriate settings, see page 77.
b Check that the condenser (forward of
the radiator) has not become clogged
with dirt and insects.
c Make sure that the drive belt for the com-
pressor is not slipping, see page 179.
d Check the fuses for the ventilation fans
and compressor, see page 189.
NOTE The A/C system is designed for use
with R134a refrigerant.
Refrigerant handling requires special
equipment and special procedures for
charging and draining the system.
All repairs and adjustments on the A/C
system must be carried out by a Saab
dealer authorized for this kind of work.
Never mix R134a and R12 refriger-
ants.
WARNING
The A/C system is pressurized. Do not
break any connections or undo A/C
system components.
Escaping refrigerant gas can cause
blindness or other injury.
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